Thoroughbred Daily News

Breeders' Cup World Championships and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club have forged multi-year partnerships with the ticketing platform SeatGeek.

“Attending the Breeders' Cup is a one-of-a-kind experience, and our partnership with SeatGeek ensures fans will have an easier and more intuitive way to access tickets for years to come,” said John Keitt, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Breeders' Cup Limited. “This collaboration is a step forward in enhancing the overall fan journey, from purchasing tickets to enjoying the extraordinary racing and atmosphere offered at the World Championships.”

SeatGeek's platform will be available in securing tickets to events at Del Mar and the annual Breeders' Cup World Championships—including this year's. The platform will also provide access to premium add-ons and exclusive offerings.

SeatGeek's backend technology, Unify, will equip Breeders' Cup and Del Mar with data-driven solutions to streamline sales and inventory management and capturing better economics across all horse races and events at Del Mar.

Breeders' Cup and Del Mar further expand SeatGeek's reach into horse racing. The company's roster also includes Monmouth Park in addition to six NFL teams, three NBA teams, two NHL teams, and multiple clubs across the MLS, NWSL and the EPL, as well as league-wide and organizational partnerships with the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), PGA of America, and the United Soccer League (USL).

The post Breeders’ Cup, Del Mar Partner With SeatGeek in Multi-Year Agreement appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

An appreciation, by T.D. Thornton

In the mid-1960s, Rocco Gabriella started his career as a jockey by literally standing on his head to try and make it into the winner's circle. He didn't get his photo taken there all that many times during a two-decade career that largely played out in and around his beloved hometown of Philadelphia. But his flair for showmanship and a drive do just about anything to put a smile on the faces of his fellow racetrackers, to help those in need, and to take chances on just-for-fun endeavors fueled by nothing more than his unbridled optimism stood out, even in a sport that has never lacked for characters.

Gabriella died last week at age 82 at his home in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, where he and his wife, Deatra, had retired two decades ago. His only son, Michael Gabriella, told TDN in a Monday phone interview that after a 2021 fall caused a brain bleed, Gabriella suffered a series of strokes that led to his demise. He passed peacefully Jan. 6 surrounded by his extended family, with Michael holding his hand.

“He was always looking for ways to bring joy,” Michael Gabriella said. “He didn't go the track  just to collect a paycheck.”

Richard Orbann, a retired racetrack executive, came up through the officiating ranks with Gabriella in the 1980s after Gabriella had hung up his tack. Orbann was the clerk of scales at Philadelphia Park and Gabriella was his assistant. When Orbann rose through the ranks and become president of Garden State Park, Gabriella took over in the jockeys' room.

Gabriella, who started singing at age five when the nuns at his Catholic school had him stand up in front of the class to demonstrate hymns to classmates with his pitch-perfect voice, had often filled the jockeys' rooms at tracks in the mid-Atlantic with song. Over  the years he belted out everything from Motown to oldies to pop rock, just like he did when he performed crooning solo in talent contests, or at parties with his four-piece band, Dead Heat.

“Rocco was a very interesting and very talented guy, and he was a guy with a good soul,” Orbann told TDN. “Everybody liked Rocco, is the best way to put it.

“He was an amazing singer,” Orbann said. “He sang professionally in nightclubs, and had two or three CDs out. He had a Frankie Valli kind of a voice.”

Born and raised in South Philly, Gabriella at first embarked upon a career as a plumber's apprentice. But he gave it up in his early 20s after hearing so many people say his muscular, 104-pound, 5'2″ frame would be better suited to riding racehorses.

An established jockey who lived in his neighborhood, Kevin Daly, helped to influence his decision. Gabriella hatched a plan to head to New Orleans for a winter to learn hotwalking and then exercise riding. Because he was broke, he had to ride the entire way down in the back of a horse van, and slept in the stables until he got his first paycheck.

“When I decided to become a jockey, I wanted to prove to my bigger friends that I could do as much or even more than they could,” Gabriella said in a 1973 interview with the Courier-Post of Camden, New Jersey.

Gabriella returned to Philly and won his first race Oct. 5, 1965, at Atlantic City. He then ventured north to New England, where he was a leading apprentice at Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park.

On the opening day of the spring 1966 meet at Suffolk, the Boston Globe reported that Gabriella “startled the other jockeys and valets in the jocks' room [when] he stood on his head for 10 minutes” before the first race.

“This is yoga. It's the art of relaxation,” Gabriella explained. “It eases the tension in your body. You're supposed to be able to stand on your head as you stand on your two feet. The blood doesn't circulate in the brain naturally. It has to be pumped there. That's why you have tension.”

The Globe reported with a touch of skepticism that, “The others weren't convinced even though Gabriella won the only race he rode that day.”

Within a few months though, the 24-year-old rookie had converted at least a few of his fellow reinsmen. One was the more experienced jockey John Giovanni, who had fractured spine and was nearly paralyzed in a spill around the same time Gabriella was getting started. The apprentice showed the journeyman a few yoga positions to help with strength and flexibility, and Giovanni later publicly credited Gabriella for providing “excellent therapy” to speed his recovery.

A year later, Gabriella got married and decided to move to California to try his luck on a more competitive circuit. But four weeks into the venture, he, too, broke his back. During his time recuperating, Gabriella got homesick, so he and Deatra returned home from Santa Anita Park.

In the early 1970s, Gabriella was based at Liberty Bell in Philly and the nearby New Jersey tracks. But he accepted long-shot mounts wherever they were offered, riding at now-defunct Thoroughbred venues like Commodore Downs, Pocono Downs, Dover Downs and the Marshfield Fair.

Although he rarely ranked at the top of any track's win standings (his career predated statistics now available on Equibase), Gabriella did evolve into a go-to jockey whenever reporters wanted a good quote or an entertaining story.

For Halloween in 1971, the clean-shaven Gabriella grew a long, full beard so his costume as a whirling dervish would look authentic. When he kept the mass of facial hair long into 1972, he joked in a Philadelphia Daily News article that its purpose would serve him well if he ever had to shave it to drop a few pounds to make riding weight.

Based on numerous newspaper clippings from that era, even after a decade of riding, Gabriella still got more ink for his yoga than he did for winning races. Although he gamely fielded questions from reporters who didn't understand the practice decades before yoga went mainstream, Gabriella seemed to sense he was getting pigeonholed as a novelty for standing on his head.

When Gabriella opened up about other aspects of his life, turf writers began to get curious about what they regarded as non-traditional interests for a racetracker, like the jockey's voracious library habit and his penchant for watching documentary films.

“I find myself reading a lot of information books,” Gabriella told the Hackensack Record. “I just read Alvin Toffler's The Third Wave, which was very interesting. He says the world is becoming an information world. I don't want to become stagnated in my thinking. I want to look to the future.”

Gabriella was ahead of his time with that choice. The Third Wave was a landmark book written nearly a half-century ago that correctly predicted how the planet would transition from centuries of being agriculture- and industry-based to the data-driven societies that dominate our daily lives today.

“I don't want the label 'pinhead,'” Gabriella said by way of explaining his numerous off-track interests.

Gabriella was a member American Society of Inventors. He always seemed to have ideas for in-the-pipeline patents, but the only one that came close to fruition was a “novelty gift” that he told one interviewer had made him “a little money.”

Gabriella also liked to box, and although he never fought professionally, he was a sparring partner for others in the lower weight classes who did. He even managed to make that pastime mesh with his interest in show biz and all things Philly: He acted as a stand-in for Rocky Balboa's son in one of the Rocky films (although Michael said his dad's appearances did not make the final cut).

Over the decades, injuries took their toll.

“My dad broke his back, twice,” his son said. “And his collarbone. And his wrist. He had to have knee surgery from all the running he had to do to lose weight. He had six concussions. Multiple hernias. And one time, in addition to him falling off of horses, a horse tried to jump over his car one morning and totaled it. Luckily, it didn't land on him.”

Michael Gabriella said those injuries were the reason that later in his life, his father never turned down a request to perform as entertainment at charity fundraisers that benefitted causes like the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

By 1983, when Gabriella was 41, good mounts were difficult to come by. He wound up his career as the “house jockey” at the Meadowlands and Garden State, getting paid a modest fee to stay late each racing night until the last race was over just in case another rider got hurt and a substitute jockey was needed so the track wouldn't lose betting handle by having to scratch the mount.

In 2004, while working as the scales clerk at Philadelphia Park, a local horse was improbably on the cusp of winning the Triple Crown. Gabriella co-wrote and performed a song titled “The Legend of Smarty Jones.” The bluesy number got quite a bit of local airplay in the weeks leading up to the colt's near-miss, one-length loss in the GI Belmont Stakes.

Although he had once told an interviewer that he would probably remain at the racetrack until he died, Gabriella retired to South Carolina in the mid-2000s. But before he could settle in and relax, his son said he almost did die after contracting a potentially fatal (and then little-known) autoimmune disease. He was failing fast and down to 90 pounds before a doctor came up with the correct diagnosis and initiated treatments that saved his life.

“He had to go through chemotherapy, lost his hair, and came out of remission twice,” Michael Gabriella said. “But he always powered through and made it.”

The retired jockey didn't exactly take it easy once he bounced back. Gabriella landed a regular gig singing in a supper club, and even tried out for the reality television music competition X Factor.

“He did this in his 60s, ever the optimist,” his son told TDN. “He made it through three rounds. Never made it on TV, but he didn't get turned away at the door, either.”

Even as far back as four decades ago, Gabriella knew that the racetrack had provided him with a full and interesting way of life and a second family.

“I won a small stakes and had a couple of seconds in stakes races.” Gabriella told the Courier-Post shortly after retiring from riding in 1986.. “I never really had any nice horses. I rode a lot of claimers. I didn't really get any big stakes or anything. I guess I was never that much of a success as a rider. But I made a living at it, and I made a good living.”

The post Remembering Rocco Gabriella, Renaissance Rider With a ‘Good Soul’ and a Flair for Showmanship appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale opened with the first of its three sessions Monday and figures at the end of the day were well ahead of the pace set during the opening session of its four-day 2024 renewal.

“It was a good, solid day,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “I think it was a continuation of November in large part. We saw good, solid trade for quality horses.”

For the session, 200 horses sold for $18,087,000 for an average of $90,435–up 11.11% from last year's opening session–and a median of $65,000, which increased a whopping 103.13% from 2024.

In 2024, 225 horses sold during the opening session of the January sale for a gross of $17,547,500, an average of $77,989 and a median of $32,000.

With 95 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 32.20% Monday. It was 30.12% a year ago.

“The demand was high, reflected in the median up over 100%, which is fantastic,” Lacy said. “We were up in all three major indices, which is encouraging. We did have a tick up in RNA rate. We will dive into that, but there definitely has been some protectionism, as we mentioned in the November sale, and has been evident here as well.”

Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach added, “For a long time, the January sale was a little brother to the November sale, but this is a strong median and huge growth from last year, when we had seven figure offerings in the first session.”

With a slimmer catalogue this year, the January sale has been condensed to three days, making direct comparisons between opening sessions difficult, Breathnach acknowledged.

“The catalogue in general is a little stronger top to bottom because we lost primarily from the lower end of the market,” Breathnach said. “This first day [Monday] is probably a little enriched because a lot of Book 1 sort of got forced into this. But there is a lot of quality, particularly tomorrow [Tuesday], because some of the big consignors are selling everything tomorrow. It's not really a Book 1 and a Book 2 situation, but generally speaking, today was enriched a little bit. So that's probably helping the median jump, but that doesn't change the fact that it more than doubled, which could never have been anticipated either. It's not quite apples to apples because of the format tweak, but we will know more in a couple of days.”

In addition to the smaller catalogue, the first day of the January sale had a large number of outs. From a catalogue of 459, there were 164 horses withdrawn from the session.

“We are watching the scratch rate and RNA rate as indicators of not everybody getting what they needed to out of the session,” Breathnach said.

Lacy added, “A lot of the scratches came in early. They were ones that we knew about for a while, so it wasn't that there wasn't enough activity on the grounds. There was fairly regular traffic of late scratches, there was nothing extraordinary in that sense.”

Hip 447 – Delahaye | Keeneland

Adrian Wallace of Coolmore, bidding on behalf of David Nagle's Barronstown Stud, went to a co-session topping $700,000 to acquire Pretty Birdie (Bird Song) (hip 453). The 6-year-old mare, in foal to Candy Ride (Arg), was consigned by Gainesway on behalf of the estate of John Hendrickson. Winner of the 2021 GIII Schuylerville Stakes, she had sold for $1.1 million at the 2024 Keeneland November sale, but was returned after she was observed cribbing.

“She's a lovely mare,” said Wallace. “We loved her the first time we saw her. She was a very precocious race mare herself and obviously coming from the estate of the late John Hendrickson, we are privileged to buy into one of his great families–and that of Marylou Whitney, as well.”

Of her announced status as a cribber at Monday's sale, Wallace, who confirmed the Coolmore team had bid on the mare in November, said, “We are delighted to get her this time at a slightly discounted rate. You take [cribbing] into account, but we've got lots of fence posts at Ashford Stud and hopefully she won't do too much damage.”

Wallace said Pretty Birdie will likely have a date with a Triple Crown winner this spring.

“The plan is to keep her in America,” Wallace said. “She is very well covered at the moment, so we will see what the foal is like, but probably you will find that she will go to Justify.”

Three Chimneys Farm bought out partner William Lawrence on GIII Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes winner Delahaye (Medaglia d'Oro) (hip 447) with a $700,000 bid late into the supplemental catalogue Monday. The 5-year-old mare was consigned by Four Star Sales as agent.

“That's the exact number I had appraised her at to [Three Chimneys owner] Goncalo [Torrealba] before she walked in,” said the farm's Doug Cauthen. “It wouldn't have shocked me if she had brought $800,000 or $900,000 and we knew she wasn't going to bring $500,000 or $600,000.”

Kerry Cauthen of Four Star Sales agreed on the price point.

“It was a great price for a Grade III filly,” he said. “And as has consistently happened year round and year over year, if they're as pretty as that and they show the performance, there's plenty of people that want to buy. [The price] was actually a little better than I thought she'd bring. I thought she was kind of a $500,000 to $600,000 filly. It's just a matter of finding two people who ant the same thing.”

Both co-topping mares were supplements to the main January catalogue.

“The nice thing about the supplements is that, when the time comes, I think they felt it was time to retire this filly and put her to the breeding shed,” Kerry Cauthen said. “And it was a partnership where one breeds and one doesn't, so that's why she went in here.”

Of the market during Monday's first session of the auction, Kerry Cauthen said, “I think it's been a very fair January. Sometimes January doesn't always have the same sizzle that you get in November, so you have some odd happenings but, as a market overall, I think it's been very fair.”

Delahaye is the first foal out of Bella Carina (War Front), a full-sister to MGSW Valid and a half-sister to a pair of talented runners in GISW Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon), a $2-million KEENOV broodmare, and MGSP Grand Love (Gun Runner).

Three Chimneys, which bred Delahaye, will add the young mare to Gun Runner's upcoming 2025 book.

“She was extremely consistent and talented on the track and we just felt like it's an important family,” said Doug Cauthen. “Her dam is producing really nice horses. It's really hard to find quality that you can buy. Three Chimneys already owned half of her, she was on the market and if she brought more, she would've sold, but [Goncalo] was comfortable buying out the partnership. It's a win-win for everybody. The partner made money and had fun at the races. She made nearly a half million dollars. Now, she'll go to Gun Runner. She's a great young mare for Gun Runner.”

“The sale has been a very good quality sale, but maybe it just didn't have the electricity of November,” said Cauthen.

In addition to offering Monday's co-topper, Gainesway also consigned the day's top-priced short yearling. A colt by Tapit, hip 293 is out of stakes winner Maybe Wicked (Mizzen Mast) and was purchased for $400,000 by JPM Bloodstock, agent.

“It's typical,” Gainesway's Brian Graves said of the January market. “You're unhappy with a lot of what you are getting until you identify a horse that you really want to buy and then you go to the sale ring and you can't obtain the horse. It's a little bit feast or famine, a little spotty in January. But so far, it's been pretty fair.”

The Keeneland January sale continues through Wednesday with sessions beginning each day at 10 a.m.

“I'M VERY PROUD OF THEIR SUCCESS”: LINDA RICE BIDS FAREWELL TO PAIR OF MARES

A pair of mares, both claimed and raced since 2023 by New York-based trainer Linda Rice, earned strong returns during Monday's opening session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. Kicking things off early in the afternoon, Ain't Broke (Dialed In) sold on a final bid of $220,000 to BTA Stable just 16 months after Adam Rice claimed the full-sister to MGSW Mr. Wireless for $75,000 at Churchill Downs in Sept. 2023. Since coming to New York, Ain't Broke, who also counts MGSP Ain't No Elmers (Goldencents) as a half-sibling, made eight starts and was off the board only once when fifth in the GII Ruffian Stakes at Belmont's Aqueduct meeting last May. The now 6-year-old mare earned four wins in 2024 and also picked up valuable placings in the Garland of Roses Stakes and the GIII Distaff Stakes for owner Ronald Stewart before selling with earnings of over $460,000.

“We thought it was the right time to sell her,” said Rice of Ain't Broke. “Being a full-sibling to Mr. Wireless, she had great value. But it was difficult to watch [her sell]. I'm very fond of her.”

Later in day, Movie Moxy (Street Sense) one-uped her stablemate when bringing $230,000 for Scott and Evan Dilworth, LLC. The 8-year-old, who is a half to GSP My Buddy B (Creative Cause) and to recent stakes-placed mare Nom de Plume (Uncle Mo), joined the Rice barn in Jan. 2023 off a $25,000 claim. Rice offered her in the Fasig-TIpton May Digital Sale where she RNA'd for $75,000 and the mare has since added stakes placings in the Heavenly Prize Invitational, Top Flight, Turnback the Alarm and, most recently, the GIII Go for Wand at Aqueduct Dec. 7.

Of Movie Moxy, Rice added: “She's been quite successful on the track and were able to some stakes and graded stakes placings with her. She's just a lovely, beautiful physical–everything about Street Sense that you would love. And of course, she has some updates in her catalog (Nom de Plume was second in the Joseph E. Spanky Broussard Memorial Stakes Dec. 26). I've had both fillies for quite a while and I'm very proud of their success. I hope they go to good farms.”

Rice is known for her claiming prowess on the NYRA circuit and admitted that, while she has an eye for a bit of everything, the fillies were particularly enticing.

“You're always hoping when you have fillies that you can maximize their potential, get them a bit of black type and move them on to broodmare careers.'

Scott Dilworth, who signed the ticket for Movie Moxy, said the filly would probably be bred but that plans were still in the works for his new purchase.

“I thought she was very nicely bred, pedigree-wise and confirmation-wise. She'll go to Oakley Farm and we'll figure [her mating plan] out there.” —@SGrimmTDN

The post With ‘Pretty Spectacular Increase in Median’, Pair of $700,000 Mares Share Top Billing at Keeneland January Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Cagliostro (Upstart), who was a stakes winner and twice Grade III-placed after being acquired privately by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's Wathnan Racing in the spring of 2024, has been sent to Meydan for the Dubai Carnival, where he will be trained by Hamad Al-Jehani. The operation's American representative, Case Clay, confirmed the news via text Monday.

Bred in Florida by Lance Colwell and Janice Clark, Cagliostro was originally trained by Cherie DeVaux for a partnership that included her husband, bloodstock agent David Ingordo, West Point Thoroughbreds, Nice Guys Stable, Talla Racing and James Spry. A maiden winner at second asking the bay was third in the GIII Indiana Derby and runner-up in the GIII Smarty Jones Stakes before finishing unplaced in the GIII Oklahoma Derby.

A Keeneland allowance winner on 4-year-old debut last April, Cagliostro was subsequently acquired by Wathnan Racing and, with DeVaux still handling training duties, was run down late by Highland Falls (Curlin) in the GIII Blame Stakes June 1 ahead of a one-length defeat of the commonly owned Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance) in the June 30 Hanshin Stakes going the one-turn mile at Churchill Downs. A stumbling start cost Cagliostro any chance of making an impact in the Aug. 24 GI Forego Stakes at Saratoga and he was third as the odds-on favorite in the GIII Ack Ack Stakes back in Louisville Sept. 28. Cagliostro was most recently unplaced in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar Nov. 2.

Should he acclimatize rapidly, it is possible the 5-year-old could be ready for a race such as the G3 Jebel Ali Mile on Feb. 15, or if more time is needed, the G3 Burj Nahaar at Meydan on Super Saturday Mar. 1. The latter is the course-and-distance prep for the $1-million G2 Godolphin Mile on the Dubai World Cup undercard Apr. 5. Cagliostro also holds an entry for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 22.

Good luck to this guy. https://t.co/U5Vlnwg6t4

— Cherie DeVaux (@reredevaux) January 13, 2025

The post Wathnan Racing To Campaign Cagliostro In Dubai appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Jenna Elliot, the groom of 2025 Steeplechase Horse Eclipse Award finalist Snap Decision, has won the Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards Sweepstakes after random selection, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Monday afternoon.

Drawn at random from 340 other entries, Elliot and a plus one will be guests of the NTRA and Resolute Racing at the 54th Eclipse Awards Jan. 23 at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida. They will also be guests of Resolute at the Pegasus World Cup Jan. 25. As part of the promotion, fans were encouraged to enter themselves or someone they felt would enjoy the experience.

“It was such a surreal feeling to look down and see a missed call from the NTRA knowing today was the day for the drawing,” said Elliott, Snap Decision's groom of four years. “Working with these racehorses every day and being able to witness them crowned for their achievements really pulls together everything we as horsemen and women strive for. This is an incredible opportunity.  I'm very thankful for Resolute Racing and the NTRA for this weekend of a lifetime.”

The post Jenna Elliot, Groom of Eclipse Award Steeplechase Finalist Snap Decision, Wins Resolute Racing Sweepstakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky will open its doors to prospective breeders Jan. 13 through Wednesday, Jan. 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00pm. Light refreshments and hot beverages will be available to guests.

The operation's stallion roster will be available for inspection, including new addition Domestic Product (Practical Joke-Goods and Services, by Paynter). Winner of the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, the dark bay also won the GIII Dwyer and GIII Tampa Bay Derby.

For more information, click here.

The post Coolmore Hosts Open House Jan. 13-15 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The 2025 accreditation application to join the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is available and can be accessed online at www.thoroughbredaftercare.org/accreditation.

Nonprofit Thoroughbred aftercare organizations that are interested in applying for accreditation during the 2025-2026 term must submit the completed application by Apr. 1, 2025, at 6pm EDT.

All organizations that were accredited in 2023 or any new organizations need to apply for accreditation this year. Other organizations that were accredited in 2024 need not apply as their current accreditation extends through 2025.

Accreditation status is determined after a complete and thorough review of the organization's operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. Organizations that pass the initial application review will be subject to an onsite inspection of all facilities housing Thoroughbreds.

Any organization interested in applying for Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation must fulfill the following five minimum requirements:

• Organization must have current status as a 501(c)(3) federal not-for-profit (U.S.) or must be a registered charity within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada).
• Organization must have been in operation for at least three years. Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will confirm operation information, including with the secretary of state or provincial business registry.
• At time of application, organization must either (1) currently exclusively own and provide care for a minimum of 5 registered Thoroughbreds, or (2) currently exclusively own and provide care for at least 3-4 registered Thoroughbreds AND must have exclusively owned and provided care for at least 10 registered Thoroughbreds over the previous 12 months. Registered Thoroughbreds leased by the organization or owned by third parties at the same facility should not be included.
• Organization must have a written euthanasia policy consistent with the American Association of Equine Practitioners.
• Organization, or a principal of the organization or individual directly related to the organization, shall not have any current legal proceedings pending against them which adversely impact the aftercare operations, the organization's standards of care, or the 501(c)(3) status of the organization.

Accredited Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance organizations are eligible to receive financial grants to further support the care of their Thoroughbreds. The amount awarded in 2024 to Thoroughbred aftercare organizations was $4.14 million, totaling $36.04 million since inception of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in 2012.

“The opportunity to achieve Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation assures the equine industry that your rescue has been thoroughly evaluated by an organization committed to supporting retired Thoroughbred racehorses beyond their racing careers,” said Janice Towles, Director of Accreditation & Grants, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “We are thrilled to welcome new members into our accredited network and to continue supporting our existing groups in their mission to rehome Thoroughbreds.”

For more information on the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation process, visit thoroughbredaftercare.org.

The post 2025 Application Period To Join TAA Begins appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The catalog for the 2025 Inglis Digital USA February Sale will feature a selection of Pennsylvania-bred offerings, presented by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association. The auction will take place Wednesday, Feb. 12, beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern.

The slate of Pennsylvania-bred offerings continues a years-long working relationship between the PHBA and Inglis Digital USA staff to sell horses from the Keystone State online, reaching

back to the auction company's previous iteration with Liza Hendriks and her team.

“We've been using Inglis Digital USA for the past few years with success,” said PHBA executive secretary Brian Sanfratello. “It gives our breeders the opportunity to offer their horses without all the costs incurred at a regular sale. Inglis is easy to work with and does a great job of advertising to prospective buyers.”

Previous Pennsylvania online auctions have featured weanlings, yearlings, horses of racing age, broodmares, and broodmare prospects, all born or based in the Keystone State.

In addition to access to state-restricted races, horses bred and sired in Pennsylvania are eligible for a breeders' award bonus of 40 percent on purse earnings, while owners are eligible for a bonus of up to 40% on top three finishes.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association to feature PA-breds in our February sale,” said Liza Hendriks, CEO of Inglis Digital USA. “The PHBA's commitment to excellence has fostered one of the most rewarding breeding and racing programs in the country, and we are proud to provide a platform that connects these horses with buyers across the nation.”

Entries are open for the Inglis Digital USA February Sale through Monday, Feb. 3, and the catalog will be released Friday, Feb. 7.

To enter a horse for the Inglis Digital USA February Sale, for the Pennsylvania session or the open catalog, visit www.inglisdigitalusa.com.

The post Inglis Digital USA February Sale to Include PA-Bred Session appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Damon Thayer, who served 22 years in the Kentucky General Assembly–will be the keynote speaker at the National HBPA Conference Feb. 25-27 in Safety Harbor, Florida.

Thayer will address the conference on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa on Tampa Bay.

For a Q&A with Thayer, click here.

The HBPA Conference features a full-day of panel discussions and presentations on Tuesday, Feb. 25 and a half-day on Wednesday, Feb. 26, after which an afternoon at Tampa Bay Downs is scheduled, courtesy of the racetrack. The full National HBPA board will meet Thursday morning, overseen by National HBPA President Doug Daniels.

In addition to Thayer's keynote address, the Feb. 25 awards luncheon includes honoring Spikezone, off an 11-for-14 season, as the National HBPA's Claiming Horse of the Year.

Among other panels:

• The conference kicks off with a discussion entitled “HISA, HIWU and RHSA–Now and the Future”–a fluid topic with the National HBPA and others' challenges to the constitutionality the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Act and the HISA corporation it created quite possibly being heard by the Supreme Court this year. Panelists include Jay Ingle and Chris Hoskins, members of the Lexington-based Jackson Kelly law firm that specializes in equine law and which worked with the National HBPA on a horsemen's toolkit to aid racing participants in complying with HISA and the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), as well as tips for trainers faced with a notice of violation. They will be joined by Amanda Kelsey, a member of the Ingram Group, the National HBPA's political consultant and advocate in Washington D.C. The Ingram Group has been instrumental in the creation and rollout of the Racehorse Health & Safety Act (RHSA) of 2023, introduced in Congress as a better, more transparent, inclusive and cost-effective alternative to HISA.
• Tina Bond, president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, will discuss her “The Heart of Horse Racing” project, launched this fall to use video testimonials of horsemen, jockeys, backstretch workers and other racing participants (including fans) to share the positive aspects about the sport and why they love it. Theheartofhorseracing.com was created as part of a larger campaign to attract people to the races. The campaign, coordinated by the New York-based marketing company FINN Partners, started collecting market data last June.
• The “Today's Workforce Issues” panel is particularly timely given today's immigration climate. Speakers will be Oscar Gonzales, the California Horse Racing Board's vice chair and who worked in the Biden administration in the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as serving as a senior advisor on immigration; prominent immigration lawyer Will Velie; and Remi Bellocq, a former CEO of the National HBPA who left in 2011 to become executive director of Bluegrass Community and Technical College's (BCTC) Equine Program.
• The annual Kent Stirling Memorial Medication Panel will provide an update on the scientific investigation of testing thresholds for dietary and environmental substances, a research collaboration between the HBPA and the U.S. Trotting Association. The presenting researchers: Drs. Clara Fenger, Rob Holland, Kim Brewer and Thomas Tobin.
• “Providing Answers and Help for Mental Health Awareness” led by professional counselor and exercise rider Sally Jane Mixon.
• “Helping Horsemen through Today's Technology” with Jay Inglis of Horcery Cameras and Mike Novak of Backstretch Software.
• Gunner LaCour, president of the non-profit CHRIMS-PGSI, will highlight the technology-services company's offerings to horsemen to ensure they are getting their fair share of wagering/gaming distributions. New this year: A daily historical horse racing (HHR) auditing.
• Also during the Feb. 25 awards luncheon: Marty Maline, who served as the Kentucky HBPA's first executive director from 1976-2022, will be recognized as a National HBPA Living Legend. He'll be interviewed on stage by longtime Kentucky HBPA board member and past president Rick Hiles.
• A special session will be held for those providing benefits and services to horsemen and backstretch workers, with another one for the state affiliates' executive directors.

For more information, click here.

The post Damon Thayer Named Keynote Speaker at HBPA Conference Feb. 25-26 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Nine years after he re-entered the sport after an almost 20-year absence, Peter Brant has built a broodmare band that is the envy of the breeding world. Between sales purchases and talented fillies and mares on the track retiring to be bred, he has amassed some of the most powerful bloodlines in the business. He sat down and talked to the TDN about plans for his top European and American mares. Some top American mares appear below.

Click here to read about mating plans for his European mares.

NEWSPAPEROFRECORD, 9, Lope de Vega (Ire)-Sunday Times (GB), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
(Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner) Newspaperofrecord is going to Justify. It's a very good nick, and the physicals look good. She was a great miler, and he was a miler who and ran and won up to a mile and a half. I like the Scat Daddy on the male side with Shamardal.

GINAROMANTICA, 6, Into Mischief-Special Me, by Unbridled's Song. To be bred to Gun Runner
(Three time Grade I winner) Gina Romantica is going to Gun Runner for her first mating. I've bred to him three times and they've been good-looking horses. I'm breeding four mares to him this year. I did it because we had a lot of luck with Sierra Leone. He's very special. I like horses that had really good three-year-old form. I like to see them run at two, but my theory is different than that of other people who focus on two-year-old form. I like to see them run at two, but I like to see them train on to the Classic races. We're trying to breed middle-distance horses. We use speed but only to come up with a Classic horse. We're trying to specialize in a certain kind of thing. I I think all the really good horses can be a sprinter, a middle-distance horse, or a longer-distance horse. I like to be able to focus on seven furlongs to a mile and a eighth and if they're good they can go a mile and a quarter.

UNI, 11, More Than Ready-Unaided (GB), by Dansili (GB). To be bred to Justify
Uni (the 2019 Champion Turf Female) is going to Justify. That's a very good cross. We have a (2024) Sottsass (Fr) and a (2023) Frankel (GB) from her and her first foal is a Kingman (GB) who is just turning three who we like. We're going to bring her over to America to breed to Justify and then bring her back to Coolmore Ireland.

Gina Romantica | Coady Media

STRONG INCENTIVE, 12, Warrior's Reward-G.G.'s Dolly, by Comic Strip. To be bred to Into Mischief
We bought this mare with the Coolmore gang (for $2.75 million at Fasig-Tipton November 2024). Strong Incentive has produced Highly Motivated (Into Mischief), Surge Capacity (Flintshire {GB}) and Ways and Means (Practical Joke). She's in foal to Into Mischief and we're going to breed her back to Into Mischief. She has been very productive, and she has a Good Magic filly which Jon Clay kept. We chose Into Mischief because Ways and Means is by Practical Joke, who is also by Into Mischief. I really like Surge Capacity a lot. She has worked with grass horses and worked with dirt horses.

CAFÉ AMERICANO, 9, Medaglia d'Oro-Roxy Gap, by Indian Charlie. To be bred to Into Mischief
Café Americano is going back to Into Mischief. We have a very nice newly turned two year old by Tapit that we really like. She aborted an Into Mischief in 2024, and we're breeding her back to Into Mischief. Her daughter Lavender Disaster, by Into Mischief, is going on her three-year-old year, and was a TDN Rising Star in her first start.

REGAL GLORY, 9, Animal Kingdom-Mary's Follies, More Than Ready. To be bred to Gun Runner
Regal Glory is going to Gun Runner. We think physically they suit each other.

WOW CAT (CHI), 11, Lookin at Lucky-Winter Cat, by Cat Thief. To be bred to Into Mischief
Wow Cat won four Group 1s in her native Chile who came to America to win the GI Beldame

Wow Cat is going to Into Mischief. We have a two-year-old by Into Mischief we really like.

BLEECKER STREET, 7, Quality Road-Lemon Liqueur, by Exchange Rate. To be bred to Justify
(Grade I New York Stakes winner) Bleecker Street has a 2024 colt by Into Mischief and she is going to Justify. In her four-year-old year, she was five-for-six until she got hurt in the Diana where she was third, and we retired her.  She was seven-for-eight overall.

DUNBAR ROAD, 9, Quality Road-Gift List, by Bernardini. To be bred to Gun Runner
Dunbar Road she was a Grade I (Alabama) winner, but lost the Breeders' Cup Distaff by a hair. We thought she won until we looked at the photograph. Of course, Gun Runner is the sire of Sierra Leone, who has been very special from day one. I think he learned a lot last year, and he just had his first breeze. We turned him out at Coolmore, at Ashford. He was three weeks in the field, then shipped to Payson Park. He galloped for amonth and he breezed first time last Saturday.

The post 2025 U.S. Mating Plans: Peter Brant appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Construction on the Great Hall at the Kentucky Derby Museum has begun in preparation for the debut of a remastered version of The Greatest Race, the museum's 360° feature film.

The museum's $2.3 million project is being led by the Louisville-based company, Donna Lawrence Productions.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 6, crews from Milwaukee-based Clearwing installed advanced lighting technology in the oval theater, working from designs created by Donna Lawrence Productions in collaboration with Boston-based firm Available Light. Additionally, Donna Lawrence Productions is actively editing the new version of the film to be installed on a new, state-of-the-art playback system designed and installed by Louisville-based Communications Electronic Design. The show will be updated with fresh footage captured during the 2024 Kentucky Derby and is scheduled to premiere in April 2025 during the museum's 40th anniversary celebrations.

“The Greatest Race has been a cornerstone of the museum experience for four decades,” said Patrick Armstrong, Kentucky Derby Museum President and CEO. “This upgrade not only honors the exhibit's legacy but also ensures it remains a world-class attraction for the next generation of visitors. As we prepare to celebrate the museum's 40th anniversary, this project reflects our commitment to innovation, storytelling, and preserving the magic of the Derby.”

Beginning in 1985, The Greatest Race has undergone transformations over the past 40 years. In 2015, it became the world's first seamless 360° immersive media experience. While the award-winning film's ending is updated annually to reflect the latest Derby winner, the 2025 version will mark the first significant upgrade in a decade.

The revamped film will incorporate cutting-edge projection, an immersive surround soundtrack, atmospheric lighting, and dynamic effects. The storyline and video will offer a fresh perspective on the 20 horses, jockeys, trainers, and owners vying for victory in the “greatest two minutes in sports.” Donna Lawrence Productions, a long-time creative partner of the museum, is leading the production effort.

“Building on the resilience of its original design by E. Verner Johnson and Hilferty and Associates, the museum is once again expanding the boundaries of deeply immersive media experiences, in this case fueled also by the power of a great story–The Greatest Race,” said Donna Lawrence.

The $2.3 million project, supported by a $1 million grant from the James Graham Brown Foundation, builds on the museum's mission to engage, educate, and excite audiences about the Kentucky Derby.

The exhibit will officially open to the public and will be included in the price of general admission starting Apr. 11, 2025.

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Despite live racing for the weekend cancelled at Santa Anita due to the Los Angeles fires, training continued with GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational contenders Mixto (Good Magic) and Stronghold (Ghostzapper) among Sunday's workers. Both worked five furlongs with Mixto covering the distance in 1:02.60 and Stronghold going in 1:01.40.

Mixto won the 2024 GI Pacific Classic for trainer Doug O'Neill, while Stronghold, trained by Phil D'Amato, won the 2024 GI Santa Anita Derby.

The $3-million Pegasus will be held Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.

An alternate for the Pegasus, Steal Sunshine (Constitution) worked the same distance Sunday at Gulfstream in 1:01.52. Steal Sunshine won the 2024 GII Gulfstream Park Mile for trainer Bobby Dibona.

The post Mixto and Stronghold Work for Pegasus at Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, which follows a week of snow and ice storms and amidst frigid temperatures, opens its three-day run Monday in Lexington, with bidding scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. The catalogue increased to 1,317 horses with the addition of five supplemental entries last Thursday, but there were already 340 head withdrawn from the auction as of Sunday evening.

The January sale follows a strong renewal of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which set a record for median and produced a significant increase in average in 2024. Consignors are eager to see that competitive market continue into the new year, while still acknowledging a persistent polarization in demand.

“I think that you saw in November, the foal market was quite competitive,” said Jill Gordon of Highgate Sales. “If you brought a horse up there that vetted and that could jump through all the hoops, you had a lot of friends up at the ring. Conversely, if you brought something up there that had trouble with the vetting, or was perceived as not that kind of upper echelon, it got pretty lonely. And I think you can expect to see a continuation of that. I think there are a lot of those pinhookers who weren't able to get all of their orders filled. And hopefully with that trickle over effect, if you are wanting to pinhook weanlings to yearlings, this is one of your very last stops to pick those up.”

Chance Timm of Grovendale Sales said, given current conditions, an overall market assessment was less a barometer of success in the sales ring than the perceived quality of the individual offering at an auction.

“For me, I think these days it really is a horse by horse scenario,” Timm said. “It's hard to get swallowed up into saying the market is really strong in general. It just depends on the offering that you have. If you have the right stuff, it's plenty good, and if you don't, it's extremely lonely.”

A year ago, the January catalogue featured 1,487 head and was held over four days. The slimmed-down catalogue and cut back to three days comes amidst a growing proliferation of digital sales held throughout the year.

“The catalogue on a whole has contracted quite a bit,” said Gordon. “I think that is somewhat a function of the digital sales that have popped up and really taken a lion's share of that lower end of the market share where it makes more sense to offer them digitally than it does to ship them into a sale.”

Doug Arnold of Buck Pond Farm sees a place for both digital and live auctions on the calendar.

“You would think [digital sales] would have some bearing on the size of the catalogue, but I don't think it will be overwhelming,” Arnold said. “I think that people like to put their hands on horses and walk around and do business. And I think there is plenty of room for both the digital and the live sales. I don't think one will hurt another one.”

Following snow and ice storms in the Lexington area last week, temperatures during the three-day auction should not be expected to be above freezing.

Chance Timm | Keeneland

“It definitely is a concern,” Timm said of weather conditions. “It's hard to expect the normal kind of traffic that you'd like under better conditions. As sellers, we want to see as many potential buyers as we can. I would suspect we won't get nearly as much traffic as we have in the past. But I think for the right ones, it's not going to matter. It will be some of the others that are in between who might suffer a little bit. But by and large, the ones that are deemed most desirable, they are going to find them no matter what.”

Gordon admitted weather conditions have caused delays in pre-sale videos.

“For a lot of people, having this storm and then temperatures not really getting to a place that we have been able to make a substantial headway on getting rid of a lot of this snow and ice, it affected a lot of their ability to do photos and videos on the farm,” Gordon said. “If they were scheduled and you can't get a clear pathway to shoot a photo and a video, then it's obviously going to affect some of the pre-sale work that we are usually able to put on and we may have to bob and weave a little bit. Hopefully we can get those done at ship-in, but historically when you are able to look at all those foals and flip through the videos–and some people can kind of short list off that–I don't think that's going to be as accessible this year, just because of the weather. But you hope that everybody puts on their winter vests and comes out and keeps shopping the way they did in November.”

Advances in online bidding, videos and photos will be even more important due to conditions around the sale, according to Arnold.

“I think your online presence could mean more to you this sale than it would normally,” Arnold said. “Because people who are online watching the videos could say, 'Yeah, I might bid on that horse.'”

Despite the winter weather, Arnold expects the buyers will be out in force on the sales grounds.

“Horse people are a different breed,” he said. “If you had a sale out in the middle of a field with 10 inches of snow, your hardcore people would be there because they'd think there might be a chance to buy something for less than what it otherwise would be. They'd want to participate. They are a rare breed. Always looking for an edge.”

The Keeneland January sale will be held Monday through Wednesday, with sessions beginning each day at 10 a.m.

The post Neither Snow Nor Cold: Keeneland January Sale Opens Monday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

6th-Gulfstream, $85,900, Msw, 1-12, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:40.02, ft, 1/2 length.
PURE BEAUTY (f, 3, Malibu Moon–Madam Aamoura {SP, $191,120}, by Zensational) was a distant sixth behind subsequent Grade I-placed Quickick (McKinzie) and Snowyte (Good Magic), in addition to GI Frizette scorer Scottish Lassie (McKinzie) in her debut going seven panels at Saratoga last summer. Let go at 14-1 while getting blinkers on for her first start back, the Florida bred was near the back early as longshot United Forever (Unified) cut out a :23.72 opening quarter. Making some headway along the inside through a :47.03 half-mile, she was floated out approaching the quarter pole. Cutting the corner while taking aim at leader Raghba (Curlin) straightening for home, she caught the frontrunner in early stretch, inched clear and despite the 5-1 chance's attempt to regain the front, Pure Beauty held on to win by a half-length. Favored Madam Opus (Practical Joke) rounded out the trifecta. Madam Aamoura produced a colt by Lexitonian (Gage Daniel) in 2023 and followed up with a Ghostzapper filly last term. She was bred back to Proxy. Sales history: $100,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $435,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $58,650. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Edward J. Jr. and Lynne Hudson; B-Elizabeth LaPierre & Jennifer Given & Spendthrift Stallions, LLC (FL); T-Claude R. McGaughey III.

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After losing on five heavy favorites and getting disqualified from a win on a sixth, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. would probably like to put his Saturday trip to Tampa Bay Downs behind him as soon as possible.

But North America's leading rider in victories in each of the last eight years is going to have to wait until at least Wednesday to find out if the Tampa stewards are going to suspend or otherwise penalize him for his actions aboard 1-2 favorite Owen Almighty (Speightstown) in the Jan. 11 Pasco Stakes that forced the 7-2 third choice, Rookie Card (Adios Charlie) to check hard under jockey Junior Alvarado while near the inner rail at the three-eighths pole.

“We're in the process of looking at it and speaking with the people right now,” association steward Joelyn Rigione told TDN via phone while between races Sunday afternoon. “So we won't have a final answer until probably Wednesday morning because we're dark [Monday] and Tuesday.”

The head-on replay showed Ortiz vying for the lead from the three path in the seven-furlong stakes. Approaching the far turn Owen Almighty appeared to have his head cocked to the outside while the colt's body was bearing inward. Owen Almighty continued dropping down toward the rail, where Rookie Card and Alvarado were attempting to close the gap and establish a position.

The Equibase chart stated that Owen Almighty “bumped and forced Rookie Card to take up sharply.”

As Rookie Card dropped out of contention, the head-on replay showed Ortiz looking back over his left shoulder to assess the aftermath.

Ortiz and Owen Almighty went on to cross the finish wire first by a length (87 Beyer Speed Figure).

Rookie Card checked in fifth, beaten 23 lengths. He was elevated to fourth place when the stewards DQ'd Owen Almighty and placed him fifth for interference.

Naughty Rascal | SV Photography

“I'm just glad [Rookie Card] was able to come back fine and we're all in one piece,” Alvarado told the Tampa notes team after the incident. “We scratch that one and we move on. That's what we do.”

The colt who was second across the line, Naughty Rascal (Rogueish), got promoted to the win as the 3-1 second choice.

Naughty Rascal actually led between calls twice in the race, from about the three-furlong pole to the quarter pole, and then again briefly in upper stretch. He was awarded an 85 Beyer for the win-via-DQ.

“My horse ran his race, but I think he'll get much better going around two turns,” said Naughty Rascal's trainer, Gerald Bennett. “I didn't really drill on him for this race. He eats everything you put in front of him, and he looked a little on the heavy side in the paddock. He's way off from being at his peak, but you want them to peak at the right time.”

Bennett said the Sam F. Davis Stakes Feb. 8 is the next goal for Naughty Rascal, but that his “main objective” is the GIII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 8

In addition to the DQ, Ortiz lost at Tampa on Saturday aboard horses bet down to odds of 3-5, 11-10, 6-5 and 7-5 (twice).

The other two Tampa stewards who will rule on Ortiz's potential suspension are state steward Reese Howard and association steward Brook Hawkins.

The post Tampa Stewards Yet To Rule On Possible Ortiz Suspension In Aftermath Of Pasco Stakes DQ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

3rd-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-12, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.47, ft, 2 1/4 lengths.
INVISIBLE STRING (f, 3, Blame–Dream It Is {GSW-USA, SW-Can, $175,544}, by Shackleford), sent off at 5-2, broke well and quickly thrust herself into contention, prompting She's a Gamer (Game Winner) through an opening half in :22.60. Poking her head in front through a :45.77 half, she maintained a narrow advantage turning for home. With the most in reserve late, the half to SW Otto the Conqueror (Street Sense), $488,620 drew off to score by 2 1/4 lengths. Dream It Is, a half-sister to GSP Just Katherine (Justify), produced a filly by Curlin in 2023 and followed up with a colt Uncle Mo last term. She was bred back to Constitution. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

O-Hoolie Racing Stable LLC; B-Hoolie Racing Stable, LLC (KY); T-Christophe Clement.

The post Blame’s Invisible String Graduates in Gulfstream Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

It's an interesting year when it comes to the Eclipse Awards, which will be announced next week.

As always, there are the categories that are no-brainers where the winners should be unanimous. But there are several divisions this year that aren't so clear-cut, which will make for an interesting ceremony come Jan. 23.

Here's a look at my ballot:

Two-Year-Old Male: Citizen Bull (Into Mischief)

Became the obvious pick after winning the 2024 GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Scary thing is that he might be no better than the third or fourth best now 3-year-old in the Bob Baffert barn.

Two-Year-Old Filly: Immersive (Nyquist)

Another obvious choice. Too bad she got hurt as she looked like the type of imposing filly that cold romp in the GI Kentucky Oaks and establish herself as a true superstar. The good news is that she will be back.

Three-Year-Old Male: Sierra Leone (Gun Runner)

A really close call between two terrific horses in Sierra Leone and Fierceness (City of Light). They ran against each other four times with each one finishing ahead of the other twice. In the most high-profile races, Fierceness beat Sierra Leone in the GI DK Travers Stakes, while Sierra Leone beat his rival in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Fierceness (inside) and Thorpedo Anna | Sarah Andrew

The Classic victory ordinarily would be enough to guarantee that Sierra Leone won the award, but Fierceness has plenty of backers. Their argument is that the Breeders' Cup proved that Fierceness was the better horse. He stalked a brutally fast pace yet held on to finish second. The late-running Sierra Leone had a dream trip closing from 11th and was passing tired horses in the stretch.

So does that make Fierceness the better horse? Yes? No? Maybe? It doesn't matter. Eclipse Awards are not decided by “what if.” On the day when it mattered most, Sierra Leone was victorious.

Three-Year-Old Filly: Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna)

Obvious.

Older Dirt Male: National Treasure (Quality Road)

Because just about every three-year-old from 2023 that mattered retired this was a particularly weak division. Full Serrano (Arg) (Full Mast) was pretty much an unknown before he won the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, but his 1 1/2-length win in that race showed that he is a quality horse and one that could have a big 2025. But the Argentinean import only ran three times in the U.S. and the Dirt Mile was his only stakes win. The other candidate is National Treasure. He didn't exactly have a typical championship season either, but wins in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes and the GI Metropolitan Handicap make for a better resume than what Full Serrano has.

Idiomatic | Sarah Andrew

Older Dirt Female: Idiomatic (Curlin)

Another tough category as neither of the best two horses in the division, Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) or Idiomatic made it to the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff. Both had similar records, winning two Grade I races. Idiomatic was probably running against tougher horses than the ones Adare Manor was meeting in California and she blew out the field in a 6 1/2-length win in the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes. She's the pick, but anyone who votes for Adare Manor has nothing to apologize about.

Male Sprinter: Straight No Chaser (Speightster)

Another tough one because Cogburn (Not This Time) was the fastest horse among the three finalists. But all of his races came on the turf and I've never been comfortable voting for a turf horse in a division where conventional wisdom says it's for dirt horses. Straight No Chaser didn't have anything close to a full campaign, running just three times. But he did win the GI Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint, which was enough for me to put him on the top of my list.

Female Sprinter: Soul of an Angel (Atreides)

Another division where no one really stood out, but Soul of an Angel put it all together in the fall, winning the GIII Princess Rooney and the GI PNC Bank Breeders' Cup F&M Sprint. No one did more. Will be interesting to see if voters hold her loss in the Dec. 26 running of the Rampart Stakes at Gulfstream against her.

Male Turf Horse: Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire})

Another fascinating division. GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will probably get the nod off his recent win at Del Mar. But that was his only start stateside. He also ran in Qatar, Dubai, Hong Kong, Great Britain and Germany and lost only once all year. Was he the best male turf horse to run in the U.S. in 2024? Absolutely. Did he get my vote? No, he did not.

Carl Spackler | Sarah Andrew

I have always been against handing out Eclipse Awards to foreign horses who come in, run once in the U.S., win a Breeders' Cup race and then catch the next flight out. What someone did outside of North America should have no bearing on their Eclipse Award status.

In fact, it's time for the Eclipse Award committee to institute a new rule, that a horse is ineligible for an Eclipse Award unless running at least twice in the U.S. In Canada, a horse must run a minimum of three times in that country to be eligible for a Sovereign Award.

So, the pick is Carl Spackler, who ran six times in the U.S. and won four races, including two top level races. Plus, he's got a cool name.

Female Turf Horse: Moira (Ghostzapper)

Not much doubt in this division. She finally had that big break-through race and won the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The best horse based in Canada last year she will not be named Canadian Horse of the Year because she ran only once in her native country.

Steeplechase Horse: Snap Decision (Hard Spun)

I find it silly that so many people abstain in this division. Granted few of us among the voters are steeplechase experts, but we can all read past performances. It's not hard to figure out who the best horse was. With three graded stakes wins Snap Decision was the best of this bunch.

Jockey: Flavien Prat

The Frenchman had an historic year. Yes, Irad Ortiz Jr. is also wonderfully gifted, but this was the year of Prat.

Apprentice Jockey: Erik Asmussen

Led all apprentices in wins and earnings. If he can maintain his weight, he could have quite a career.

Ken McPeek with Brian Hernandez | Sarah Andrew

Trainer: Kenny McPeek

Judging by the feedback I have gotten, everyone is jumping on the bandwagon and McPeek is going to win the trainers' award, as well he should. Yes, Chad Brown had another very good year, but this was the year of McPeek.

How do you not give the Eclipse to the trainer who won the Derby-Oaks double and the Breeders' Cup Distaff? Also, he nearly won the Travers with Thorpedo Anna, who will be named Horse of the Year.

Breeder/Owner: Godolphin

These guys must have a huge trophy case.

Horse of the Year: Thorpedo Anna

The post My Eclipse Award Choices: The Week in Review appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Growing up in the Thoroughbred industry, Headley VanMeter has always dreamed of starting his own consignment. Now, he is doing it by going out on his own this summer under the banner of VanMeter Sales.

“Starting a consignment has always been a goal of mine,” said VanMeter. “Everything I have done to this point has been to build a strong foundation as a horsemen. I feel like now is a great time to try to start my own business. I've been really fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of top horsemen and outfits in this industry. I can't thank everyone enough who has helped me along the way. I'm ecstatic to have this opportunity and look forward to this new adventure.”

Headley's father Tom VanMeter helped run Eaton Sales before he founded VanMeter Gentry Sales. With lines that branch out into several avenues within the industry, the son began working for his older brother William at VanMeter Racing. Over the course of four years, he moved up from the bottom to become an assistant. In 2019, Lane's End beckoned, which offered another layer to his resume. Despite a challenging learning curve, this VanMeter has relished the work.

“I started as a groom and was able to see all aspects of the farm,” he said. “I prepped yearlings during the summer and would move to assist with mare and foal care during the winter, as well working in the breeding shed for a couple years. I worked my way up to assistant broodmare manager before becoming the manager in 2023.

“Attending all the yearling and mixed sales while working for Lane's End was just an incredible experience,” VanMeter said. “While there we sold multiple sales toppers and were leading consignors at different auctions.”

Choosing to depart Lane's End last September, VanMeter set his sights on a boutique Thoroughbred consignment experience for his clients. His plans include attending all the major Kentucky sales (yearling and mixed) with Saratoga being the goal in the near future. The burgeoning digital space out there is on his radar too.

“I am after bringing equine athletes to the marketplace and allowing them to maximize their potential while under our care,” VanMeter said. “Giving clients the knowledge and confidence to get their horses moved to top racing programs and into the winner circle is a top priority for me. Being fully transparent about our equine stock allows buyers and their agents to work through our consignment quickly and efficiently.”

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Sam Houston Race Park, whose Thoroughbred meet just started at the beginning of this month, is rolling out a new partnership with the Texas Thoroughbred Association (TTA) and The Paddock Foundation on Ring The Bell for Thoroughbred Aftercare, the track said in a release on Sunday.

Each live racing day, owners and trainers are invited to donate a portion of their purse winnings to The Paddock Foundation, the official aftercare program of the TTA. Fans can also get involved by filling out a form in the winner's circle and handing it to track photographer Jack Coady. In recognition, they will receive a photo and be recognized on the big screen.

“There have been many very generous Texas Thoroughbred Association members who have supported Thoroughbred aftercare, and we are grateful for their support,” said TTA Executive Director Tracy Sheffield. “We felt that kicking off the Ring The Bell for Thoroughbred Aftercare program at Sam Houston Race Park would be a great way of introducing this important cause to a new audience.”

“It is important for every racetrack to enlighten their fans on the importance of caring for racehorses after they retire from the sport,” said Sam Houston's Vice President and General Manager Bryan Pettigrew. “To acknowledge a donor with a picture in the winner's circle by our photographer Jack Coady and show their generosity on our big screen television will be a thrill for them and a vehicle for encouraging more owners, trainers and fans to step up and donate!”

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GISW Johannes (Nyquist) has emerged from his victory in the GII San Gabriel Stakes with bone bruising and will need time off, Camilla Yakteen tweeted on X Friday.

A three-quarter-length winner of that graded contest for trainer Tim Yakteen, his fifth in a near perfect 2024 season blemished only by a game second in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, Johannes will be given time off to heal and will resume his 2025 campaign once fully recovered.

“Coming out of the San Gabriel Stakes, Johannes developed a mild case of bone bruising,” said Yakteen in the tweet. “As always, Tim and the owners, Debby and Joe McCloskey, will put Johannes first and give him the necessary time off to fully recover before resuming his 2025 campaign.”

The post Johannes Sidelined with Bone Bruising after San Gabriel Victory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.